Tour Report: FedExCup final round update

ATLANTA — Sunday’s final round of the TOUR Championship by Coca-Cola, the final event in the FedExCup Playoffs, is in the books and Brandt Snedeker won the both the tournament and the FedExCup. Here’s a look at the key developments and notes concerning the FedExCup:

NO. 1: Brandt Snedeker was the first player who entered the week ranked among the top five who controlled their own destiny to take at least a share of the lead into the final round since the points were last revamped in 2009. Snedeker delivered, too, firing a 68 that gave him a three-stroke win at the TOUR Championship, as well as the $10 million bonus.

Rory McIlroy, who started the week ranked first, ended up second after closing with a 74 and finishing in a five-way tie for 10th at 1 under.

HOW TOP FIVE FARED: Any of the top five players in points after the reset could have won the FedExCup by winning the TOUR Championship. Here’s a look at their final rounds.

Player

Score

Through 72

Position

Quick review

Brandt Snedeker

68

10 under

First

Snedeker fought back from a double bogey at the sixth hole and birdied three holes on the back nine to pull away from Ryan Moore and Justin Rose. He won despite playing his first six holes on Thursday in 3 over, too. Strokes back: He won the Cup with four shots to spare.

Rory McIlroy

74

1 under

T10

McIlroy started the day three strokes off the pace but never got untracked. He shot 39 on the front and didn’t hit a single fairway – then found just two on the back nine. The 74 snapped a string of 11 consecutive rounds in the 60s. Strokes back: He finished 10 strokes behind in his quest to win the Cup.

Tiger Woods

72

2 under

T8

Woods started the final round four strokes behind but promptly sealed his fate when he played his first six holes in 4 over. He shot 1 under on the back but never threated with his second round over par this week. Strokes back: He finished nine strokes back in his battle to win the Cup for the third time.

Nick Watney

74

13 over

28th

Watney, who won The Barclays to vault into the top five, was never a factor at East Lake. Interestingly, he ranked fifth in fairways hit but 28th in greens in regulation for the week and 22nd in putting. He only made 2 of 10 sand saves, too. Strokes back: He finished 24 strokes back as he tried to win the Cup.

Phil Mickelson

69

1 over

T15

Mickelson hit nine fairways on Sunday, which was the most of the week. He made the turn in 34, which was his first subpar tally on the front nine, but stalled on the back with a 35. Still, the 69 matched Thursday as his low of the week. Strokes back: He finished 12 strokes behind in his quest to win the Cup for the first time.

BIGGEST MOVERS: Justin Rose, who finished solo second, ended up sixth in the FedExCup, which was a jump of 18 spots and earned him an $800,000 bonus. With his tie for third, Ryan Moore moved up 17 spots in the FedExCup to 11th, which came with a $300,000 bonus. Moore’s previous best FedExCup finish came in 2010 when he made his only other appearance at East Lake and finished 22nd in the season-long competition.

ODDS & ENDS: Justin Rose, who played with Brant Snedeker on Sunday says the pressure was intense with the FedExCup’s $10 million bonus on the line.. “Doesn’t get any more pressure, I would say, than this, major championships and today,” Rose said. “It’s a different kind of pressure playing for $10 million. I mean, it gets in your head more than other golf tournaments. Other golf tournaments it’s more routine. But this week, it’s not routine. We talk about it all year long, and suddenly you have to walk the walk, and (Brandt) did a great job of that today.” …

Snedeker said throwing around a number like $10 million is “crazy talk” – like “winning the lottery,” he said. Snedeker, who will become a father for the second time in about a month, said he still drives the same car he did when he turned pro. “Of anybody that I know, I do not need $11 million,” said Snedeker, who also won $1.44 million with his TOUR Championship title. “So there are going to be things we can do to really help people. So that’s the way I look at it. This is unbelievable to be financially stable for the rest of my career. As long as I’m not an idiot, I should be fine.” …

Rory McIlroy came to Atlanta on the heels of wins in the last two Playoffs events. When the points were reset prior to the TOUR Championship, he was ranked No. 1 – but four others controlled their own destiny, too. McIlroy didn’t get the job done but he is comfortable with the Playoffs format. “You’ve got to play well every week,” he said. “I knew if I came in here and won the tournament, that I’d win the whole thing, and that was the goal, and it didn’t happen. That was the goal for Brandt as well. He was Top 5 coming in here, and he knew if he won, he’d win the whole thing. He did. He knew what he needed to do, and he did it great.”